One of the most famous is probably 'The Big Toe'. It's a really creepy story about a boy who finds a big toe and decides to take it home, only to be haunted by its previous owner. It plays on the idea of the unknown and the uneasiness of body parts being out of place.
The story 'Harold' is also well - known. It features a scarecrow that comes to life in a rather spooky way. The way Schwartz describes Harold's movements and the sense of dread that builds up as the story progresses makes it a memorable and scary tale.
The story 'The Big Toe' is quite popular. It's about a boy who finds a big toe and things take a very spooky turn when he tries to figure out where it came from.
Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz was banned perhaps because of its graphic and scary elements that were deemed not suitable for all readers. There could also have been complaints about the themes or messaging within the stories.
He used common fears. For example, the fear of the dark, the unknown, and things that are just a bit 'off' like in 'The Big Toe' story. By taking normal things and making them abnormal, he created horror.
One popular story might be about a haunted house where strange noises are heard at night. The creaking floors and cold drafts make it really spooky.
They introduced a new level of spookiness. Before these stories, children's horror was often a bit more tame. These stories were darker and more in - depth, which made other writers start to explore more complex and scarier themes for kids.
It's hard to give an exact figure. But Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories were extremely successful and sold millions of copies worldwide. Their popularity among kids and young adults contributed to the high sales.
One thing that might make his scary stories unique could be his writing style. Maybe he has a way of building suspense that is different from other authors. For example, he could use very detailed descriptions of the setting to create an eerie atmosphere.
Often, there's an old hermit. He lives on the outskirts of the town where all the strange things happen. He seems to know a lot about the dark secrets and the origin of the scary things, but he doesn't like to talk much about it at first. People are both afraid of him and curious about what he knows.
One of the most famous is the 'Luna - Cursed Castle'. Legend has it that on certain luna - filled nights, the castle that has been abandoned for centuries comes alive. Ghostly knights can be seen riding their horses around the perimeter, and there are screams coming from within the walls. It's said that a powerful sorcerer once cursed the place because of a betrayal, and now the luna's energy reawakens the dark magic every so often.
The haunted lighthouse in Cuba is quite famous. It is said that the keeper of the lighthouse long ago went mad and killed himself. Since then, his ghost haunts the place. People who visit the lighthouse sometimes see a figure on the top, even when no one is supposed to be there.